The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-06-12
"oFF WITH HIS HEAD"
An Interview with Chinese High Execution
ers in Canton.

An interview with Chinese dfgn Execution-
ers In Canton.
During our wanderiues in the city our ears
were assailed with the Cathay synonym OF the
brain resounded and echoed with it. Cum
shaw cumsnaw. yelled immature possessors OF
pigtails. and mature possessors echoed the sound
wherever we went When the youngsters re-
quests were not complied with they, after lit
tie. invariably changed their cry TO "FanquI
fanqui" foreign devil. foreign deviLl We
marcheAinto the msgisterial yamun TO the &C
compartment CT the cumshaw tune Here we
were shown the instruments whereby bam-
boo chow-chc| is given to the nadai
callosities of the wicked; also, ratans
and short bludgeons for slapping the faces
of uutrutbful witnesses, thum b-screws and racks
for exactinR confessions (no criminal can be
executed according to the laws OF China until be
has confessed his crime) campus, a species or
collar, which. for largeness and uncomfortable
ness, even outstripe the Washers. and which are
rectangular planes of wood with neck and hand
holes. The gloomy. small depository-room OF
these torture implements we thought to be a fair
represents tion of what n European medieval
chamber of Justice" has been.
We next taken in sedan chairs
through an overcrowded busy part of the city
to the execution ground, passing on our way the
new Roman Catholic Cathedral, whose gigantic
we found to be a small inclosed rectangular
space, abont fifteen yards by fifty, entered by
gate. On the right entering a row OF
small sQuald houses, the habitations of potters
whose rough. unbaked work lay all about on the
ground, drying in the sun; but we were informed
that it was cleared away whenever an execution
was about to take place. Facing the potters'
houses was h Oh wall. at whose base and lean
ing against IL were some large crooks, all of
which had their mouths earthed over except
one. Here our guide introduced us to three
poorly dressed Cinnamon, whom noticed
CANT bling at a fan tan table rear the gate on our
arrival One, big, british looking fellow, with
q villianous cast in one of his eyes, was the head
executioner, and the other two. who were small
ish men, were his assistants. Through our guide
we told the head executioner that we wished to
see the instruments of his calling, and thereon
sword and a long knife. The following converse
ton was carried on between US and this "boss'
through the medium of our guide:
How do You this sword2 Where is the
block2" I'VE don't use block. What we do is
to make the prisoners kneel down in two rows
facing one another, and bending their heads
down. Then take the sword, and chop, chop,
one on each side and the heads fall off; on,
till they're all done. as youd switch 10 tops off
green weeds with your walking-stic
But you don't always chop a bead off with one
blowF" always"
what is the knife for2" "For the ling che,
or death by many cuts. We tie the culprit who
is condemned to this death to that cross there
pointing to two rough, Embarked sticks roughly
crossed), and we begin by cutting off the eye
lids, ears, nose, and on. ending by sticking the
knife into the heart The cuts vary in number
from eight to a hundred and twenty, according
to the Nervousness of the culpris's crimes"
''Whet class of criminals are condemned to the
ling cher "Parricides, matrlcldes and women
who have killed and mutilated their husbands
form the majority
do the executions interfere with your appe-
tite and sleepl"
The three executioners grinned sardonically at
this question so asked
How many persons have you executed in a
dayP II have chopped twenty heads off myself
in two inmates. See that dark-lookine place
the ground over there. that's caused b. the blood
of the last batch we had"
What is done with the bodies ''The
friends take the bodies away, but we keep the
heads in the crooks over by the wall there. and
when have large number which
longer recognizable we bury them. Would you
like to see some of the heads2'
We declined. and one of my companions began
to grow pale and complain of not feeling WELL
80 we ordered the guide to lead us away.
"Gentlemen, give twenty cents each, cum
shaw to the executioners," said the guide
which we gladly did to escape from the staring
of the ''boss" butchers swivel eye; and so ended
our interview with these high executioners of
tho great Chinese empire.